Currently

    Happy Friday, Y'all

I'm joining Jennifer from Overflowing with Thankfulness, along with a few other bloggers, and sharing a look at what's currently going on in my life. The prompts for this month are:

* loving * looking forward to * planning * wearing * eating *

I'm currently loving the slightly cooler temps we've been having lately. Although, I'm sure I just jinxed us all by saying that. But seriously, y'all... Hot Season has drug on for a long time this year. So it's about time we had some cool breezes around here. Just saying :)

I'm currently looking forward to Spring Break. I love my students. I so love them. But y'all... Teaching during the time between going back to school in January all the way to Spring Break, which isn't until the very end of March/beginning of April with no breaks (unlike a couple that those in the US get) is HARD. It makes for a long long time. So yes... I am definitely looking forward to Spring Break :)

I'm currently planning out my next newsletter which will come out at some point in the next few weeks. I've got some big news that will be shared in this one. So if you'd like to hear my upcoming ministry update, let me know and I will add you to my list.

I'm currently wearing nothing terribly exciting. I did dress up for this first night of our Senior Cafe this past weekend though. Our seniors dressed up as various music genres. So thanks to my 80s girl t-shirt and a few cheap, neon pink accessories from Amazon, I was "80s Rocker." That was fun :)

I'm currently eating very boring, plain-ish foods and very little of it, since we're like 95% sure I have an ulcer (or at least, the start of one) or maybe some intense acid reflux. Partly due to gut issues. Partly due to anxiety/worry. Partly due to life and getting older and such. Partly due to other issues. It's also partly (well, more than partly) not fun.

And since it's my blog and I can, I'm including a few more currentlys in this month's post :)

I'm currently feeling thankful for a change of scenery while doing lesson planning this past weekend. There's just something calming/relaxing about sitting close to, and watching the water and hearing the waves crashing.

I'm currently enjoying looking back over the pictures and videos I've seen of this past weekend's Senior Cafe (a school-wide talent show put on by our senior class). It was such a fun weekend! I wish I could show you all the pictures I took of the kids. They were all dressed up and worked so hard, both in prepping before the event, during it, and then cleaning up after. 

I'm currently finding listening to hymns in the afternoons/evenings or when I'm working is a source of calm for me. There is just something so nice about these incredible songs - so many that were written long long ago. But they're just so incredibly peaceful.

I'm currently reading a book that I checked out from the school library. It's Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. I'm only a few pages in so far, but so far, so good. I'm hoping to be able to read a bit this weekend.

I'm currently gearing up for a busy day tomorrow. I'm helping with the proctoring of the SAT on campus in the morning. Then I'll probably bring lunch with me and finish up lesson planning/prep after that. And then we have a get-together with the other AGWM-ers here tomorrow afternoon/evening. But as of now, I have nothing but church and resting planned for Sunday.

I'm currently praying for God to move in big ways for my students - both current and former ones. Will you help me pray for these incredible humans that I call "mine..." Because whether I teach/work with them now or I taught them a decade ago, I still call them "mine" :)

And that’s about it for me.

What  about you?

What are you currently up to? 

Currently

Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Can you believe it's already the first Wednesday of December?!

Today I'm joining Anne from In Residence for her monthly link-up, where we share what's currently going on in our lives. And each month, Anne gives us a list of prompts to use to guide our posts. 

December's prompts are...

  * decorating * feeling * sending * smelling * wrapping *

I'm currently decorating (or rather making plans to decorate) my classroom door. Well, mostly my students will be decorating it. I'm just going to provide the supplies for it. We spent some time during one of my groups' study halls the other day, looking for ideas. And the plan is to start today, decorating it during "free time" during study halls and a bit after school. I can't wait to see their finished product. The picture below is the idea we got from a quick google search. But we've got a few other ideas on how to make it more "ours." :)

I'm currently feeling excited as I countdown the days 'til I can see my family again. And in case anyone is wondering... There are only 17 more days from today :)

I'm currently sending Christmas gifts to my brother's house via Amazon. I ordered a few things online since I found good deals. That way, once I'm there in a few weeks, I won't have to spend as much time in a store. Win, win! :)

I'm currently smelling nothing terribly exciting. Well, that's not true. I had this deliciously smelling goodness for a highly non-nutritious breakfast this morning. 

I'm currently wrapping up my very last grad school class. I'll finish in about a week and a half (or earlier if I can get more done this weekend). Y'all... I will be finished at the end of next week. I am so so very excited! Y'all have no idea! :)

And since it's my blog and I can, here are a few more...

I'm currently making plans for a writing project I started a while back and had to pause... I'm planning to start it back up in January (or maybe even over Christmas Break), since I won't have grad school work to do by that point. I'll still have to work late every day, due to the nature of my teaching position. But at least I'll have my nights free again :)

I'm currently looking forward to time with my family. I love my job. I love that I can follow the call God has placed on my life. But y'all... I miss my family. So whenever I'm gifted with the opportunity to see them I 100% take the chance 

I'm currently thinking about my dad. It's been 6 1/2 years since he passed away. And I miss him so much. ...especially at the holidays. He loved Christmas so much. It was always fun to watch his joy over the holiday and for preaching about the birth of our Savior. 

I'm currently starting to read through the book of Luke. My plan is to read one chapter a night through Christmas Eve. Then I have a Bible Study plan that will go along with it, to help as I read/study each chapter. 

And that's about it for me at the moment.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

Currently

  Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Today I'm joining Anne from In Residence for her monthly link-up, where we share what's currently going on in our lives. And each month, Anne gives us a list of prompts to use to guide our posts. 

August's prompts are...

  * admiring *  anticipating * enjoying * spending * saving *

I'm currently admiring this picture I took at sunrise while flying back to Dakar this past weekend. I've always been a fan of sunrise/sunset. But this was the first time I caught it from the plane window. Isn't God such an incredible artist? :)

I’m currently anticipating the need for an umbrella being a regular thing around here for a while. Hello Rainy Season. I'd say it's nice to see you again since you sort of cool things off for a few minutes. But after that, you bring on humidity and big huge water puddles that aren't enjoyable to walk through. So I'm just not sure how I feel about you... ;)

I’m currently enjoying being back in Dakar. It's been nice seeing friends and co-workers again. It's been nice seeing a couple of my students (and former students) and their parents again too. And as sad as I am to see Summer Break (with its days of no alarm clock setting) leave... I truly am enjoying being back to work and prepping for the upcoming school year.

And yes... I even enjoy writing IEPs ;)

I’m currently spending my days in meetings. We have 2 weeks of professional development before school starts back for students. Although, we do get quite a bit of classroom work/lesson planning time built into that schedule. ...which is nice because that will give me time to meet with teachers about our shared students and to also start meeting with parents to start IEPs for the year...

I’m currently saving money by bringing my lunch this week, instead of ordering in from somewhere. It might be sandwiches most days because that's quick and easy. But hey... Nothing wrong with that ;)

Yes, I could totally afford to order delivery if I wanted to. But this is quicker/easier....

 And since it's my blog and I can, I thought I'd share a couple more :)

I'm currently reminiscing about some of the fun summer memories I made. It was a busy summer, full of traveling, speaking at churches, hanging out with family, visiting friends and mission supporters, and stocking up on all sorts of American essentials. Busy and tiring... But it was such a nice summer. It really, truly was.

I'm currently planning to celebrate my birthday on Friday with some friends. Yay for birthdays!

I'm currently buying groceries and things, trying to re-stock my fridge and cabinets. Well... I did that this past weekend. Ironically, I did well at stocking the fridge/freezer. But I kind of forgot a lot of the basics... Flour, sugar, that sort of thing. So I suppose I'll need to go again at some point this weekend.

And that's about it for me.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

12 Years Ago

At the end of this week, it will be 12 years.

12 years ago...

I landed in Senegal for the first time.

So as I thought back to that time, I started to thinking of all the emotions I was feeling then. I started thinking of all the thoughts I was having. And I decided to write a letter to the Me of that time in my life...

Dear 23 (almost 24) years old Me,

Wow! You are so brave! 

You may not realize it yet. 

But trust me...

You are, indeed, brave. 

At this point, you're on an adrenaline high. 

You've had a roller coaster of emotions zooming through your heart and mind. ...from the extreme lows of saying goodbye to your family at the Atlanta airport to the extreme highs of the excitement of landing in Dakar. 

I realize it's scary. 

You've never even lived away from home.

 So I know you're nervous right now.

And while you've got a bit of teaching under your belt, it's not a lot. So your confidence in yourself as a teacher is quite low. 

Trust me... 

One day, twelve years from now, you'll be writing yourself a letter and smile at how confident you now (then?) feel as a teacher. After all, by that point, you'll know you're actually an Educational Rockstar ;)

And yes, you did read that correctly.

I said twelve years from now...

I know you're thinking you'll only be staying for one year (maybe 2 max). But just so you know... God has a sense of humor. So go ahead and get comfortable. You're going to be there a while. And in a few years, when you leave for a bit, you'll still end up coming back.

You're still finding your footing as a Missionary Teacher. 

Many of your missions supporters don't fully get what you do. You'll hear the following question a lot...

"So are you a missionary or are you a teacher?"

And each time, you'll take a deep breath, smile sweetly, and say...

I am a Missionary Teacher.

And then you'll explain what that means.

I won't lie to you.

Sometimes it's going to be hard.

Friends will leave.

There will be hard things to deal with back home in the US.

And the list goes on...

But trust me...

There will be plenty of good.

Today, you stepped on Senegalese soil for the first time. And when you did you instantly felt that you were at home.

Today, you fell in love with the country whose sandy streets and tall buildings, whose colorful outfits and lively music, whose open doors and hospitable people all make it the fun place you love.

12 years from now, you'll be in line at the post office, chatting with the worker, and tell her that while the U.S. will always be home... In a way, so will Senegal. Senegal is where God called you to go AND where you choose to live and the U.S. is where you visit. 

And you love the truth in that statement.

The past 12 years have produced rich memories that will last your heart for a lifetime. Take time to remember them. Take time to truly notice the goodness and faithfulness of God each step of the way. 

Take time to be grateful for all God's doing in your life in the next 12 years (and beyond). 

See ya in 12 years ;)

Sincerely,

35 (almost 36 year old Me)

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 Today, I'm joining Erika and Andrea, for their weekly Friday Favorites linkup and sharing about one of my most favorite topics to discuss - Today's my Senegal-iversary... The anniversary of the date I landed in Senegal for the very first time.

What's Up February

   Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay, and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. 

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?

I ordered a pizza to be delivered last night, knowing I would be busy working on a grad school project when I got home and wouldn't want to cook. And because I got a large one, I also knew I'd have leftovers for the next day (today). This pizza, topped with goat cheese and honey, is the perfect mix of savory and sweet. I tried it once and now it has become my new favorite. So good!

What am I reminiscing about?

Sweet memories like the ones below... These pictures popped up in my Facebook memories the other day. I still remember this day. My dad was in the rehab clinic after a bad fall. And seeing his girls definitely brightened his mood/spirit. It was so fun watching them with him, too. ...especially Daisy, who spent the majority of her time in the chair beside his bed, chatting away. My dad absolutely positively loved being a Pawpaw. He was born for that role. And I'm so so glad that he got the chance to meet and love on both of my nieces before he passed away. Memories like this bring so much joy to my heart :)

 

 What am I loving?

I'm loving the seemingly ordinary, every day stuff that goes along with my job. The stuff that doesn't always have a picture added on Facebook, but still holds such a big place in my memories. After all, sometimes it is the little things that take up the most room in your heart.

What have I been up to?

This past weekend was fun. On Friday, some friends and I went our for lunch after the school's olympics events were over. Then on Saturday afternoon, we had a welcome to Senegal get-together for one of our new AGWM-ers. And then on Sunday, some friends and I went out for lunch after church and then I came home and did a bit of computer work. It made for a full weekend. But it was so fun :)

What am I dreading? 

Honestly... Nothing.

What am I working on?

Newsletters - Want to know what's up with my ministry? Watch your inboxes/mailboxes. Something fun will be coming your way soon.

 What am I excited about?

My people were quite excited about the Science experiment we did yesterday. It was fun watching their creative minds at work. Experiments can sometimes be a little chaotic and potentially messy and not always the easiest to undertake. I hate I didn't get a picture. But that's okay... Y'all, I just love seeing my people get excited about learning! And times like that always make teaching so very exciting!

What am I watching?

I've been re-watching a couple of Big Bang Theory episodes each night. Although, in the spirit of full disclosure, I haven't really been watching it all that closely. I've actually just had it playing in the background as a way of having a bit of background noise while I'm doing working around the apartment or on the computer or something like that. I would like to find a new show to watch, though. Any suggestions?

What am I reading?

I'm currently reading my 9th and 10th books of the year. I've started reading two books at one time... One is always a "for fun" type of read. And the other is always a "for learning" type of read (so, either about teaching, missions, theology, or bettering myself in some way). I'm finding that I'm spending far more time reading than before, as I'm trying to spend less time on my phone. And since I keep the iPad on "airplane mode" while reading, I'm not being bombarded with notifications like I normally would be. And while I didn't intend for reading to simply take the place of my phone, it's been a "happy coincidence." So I'm not complaining :)

What am I listening to?

I've been on a Greatest Showman music kick lately. It's the perfect music to accompany paper writing for grad school. Just saying :)

What am I wearing?

I'm wearing my hair down a lot more lately. The main reason for that? Well, it is most definitely more enjoyable to wear it this way when it's not ridiculously hot and humid outside, causing my hair to instantly frizz. So yay for cooler and less humid days! My hair and I are both thankful for that :) 

 What am I doing this weekend?

We're having a handball tournament at my school this weekend. So I'm sure I'll be out a bit, watching that. Past that, I'm planning to stay after school on Friday and finish lesson prep for the upcoming week. That way I can get it done before handball starts and hopefully not have to come back and work over the weekend. Then on Saturday and Sunday I plan to do a bit of grad school, go to church, and rest/relax or maybe hang out with friends or do whatever else I end up finding to do this weekend :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

Spring Break is at the end of next month!

What else is new?

I had a big Literature Review assignment due last night. And y'all... I love these types of assignments. Seriously. I love researching online and in various books. I love pouring through journal articles. I love watching the process go from a blank page to 10+ pages of information. I absolutely hate taking a test. But I  100% really do love writing papers. And yes, I do realize how nerdy that makes me sound. It's okay. I fully accept it :)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

What's Up March

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Today, I'm joining Shay, and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. 

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?
 
Nothing terribly exciting - But it has been nice being off for Spring Break and having lots of time to cook, which I love to do. I just don't do it a lot during the school year because I'm usually exhausted by the time I get home each evening. So yay for having time to actually enjoy cooking for a change! :)


What am I reminiscing about?

The image below showed up on my Facebook memory feed last week. 11 years ago, this month, I accepted a position to teach at Dakar Academy. I was teaching Special Education in Montevallo, Alabama and was loving it. My school was great. My kids were awesome. And my co-workers were great, too. But, I knew God was calling me to leave all of that, my family, and life in my sweet home Alabama behind. Why? To teach at Dakar Academy... 

Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's been that long. So much has changed in that time. And I know I have grown in my role as a Missionary Teacher, and a teacher in general. It hasn't been a bed of roses every single day/year. There have been plenty of hard times along the way. But I can honestly say that, at this point, there is no where else I'd rather be. I'm so grateful for the 100+ kids who have walked through the doors of my classrooms here at DA. And I'm grateful for all of the memories I have of all of these years of teaching here.

 What am I loving?

I’ve been loving how teachers from all over the world are sharing resources on social media. I participated in a Zoom chat with a few different teachers, from 3 different countries, all in the same boat... We're all SPED Teachers who teach multiple grades at the same time, trying to figure out how to make that work if we end up having to teach online. We shared ideas and resources, websites, etc. And we also took the time to pray together and offer encouragement to one another. It was such an incredibly huge blessing and just what my teacher heart needed at that time!

What have I been up to? 

Prepping for the potential of having to do online schooling... I teach 8 out of 8 periods a day. I have 7 students in 4 different grades. I also supervise/monitor others in other grades, due to their IEP requirements. So yeah... That's a lot of online schooling prep. Our goal is that we won't need it. Our goal is that when April 6 comes and Spring Break is over, we will be able to return to normal schooling. However, our Administration reminded us (and I 100% agreed) that it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around...

And I must say... I'm feeling a bit emotional. I miss my kids. I know it's still Spring Break. But the thought of us potentially going to online schooling, and all that entails, just breaks my heart. Forget the extra work that will be for me (and yes, it will for sure be a LOT of extra difficulty for me)... Forget all of that. I just miss my kids.

This is all of the books/supplies I would need to use if we did online schooling for 2 weeks.

What am I dreading?

Next month will be 5 years since my dad passed away. I'm kind of dreading the pain that goes along with that day. And yes, I do know that he's no longer sick and in pain. I know he's in a far better place. But it's still hard. Bittersweet memories still bring a tear to my eye...

What am I working on?

I'm still working on summer plans and finalizing my speaking schedule. Send me an email today at enichols85@gmail.com and we'll set something up. As of now, my plans are to still come back to the U.S., like I always do each summer, to connect with supporters and raise missions support. However, we need COVID-19 to get its act together and leave Senegal and the USA first...

What am I excited about?

It's officially Spring Break for teachers at my school. Last week our students were out on an extended break, as the Senegalese government shut down all schools. However, we teachers still came to work. It was nice being able to get so much planning done, though. So I'm not complaining at all. But still.. It's nice to be on Spring Break now, to be able to sleep late without hearing alarm clocks every day, and to not have to go into my classroom to work unless I just absolutely want to do so. I am still an early riser and I'll still work a bit. But it's nice to be a bit more lax with my schedule. So yes, I'm excited that Spring Break is finally here.

What am I watching?

I watched The Hiding Place last month with one of my classes, as a wrap up to the book. They were able to compare the two and to explore a bit of the history surrounding that time period, in that part of Europe. Y'all... I guess I forgot about this part. But at the beginning of the movie, Corrie is walking with a group of students, who very obviously have disabilities. After the police stop her to ask questions, she tells the children she won't be able to see them for a while. And I knew... I knew why. These kids were considered to be "inferior," so obviously they'd have to be sent away. And my heart broke. It broke for the reality of people who dealt with that all those years ago. It broke for my own students, who thankfully did not fully understand the implications of that scene. And I totally teared up every time I thought about it. Oh my heart... It was hard.

 I'm also going to finally watch The Sound of Music for the first time EVER, much to the joy of my friend/neighbor, who couldn't fathom how I've never watched it.



What am I reading?

I'm reading a lot, thanks to having lots of time due to Spring Break and self-quarantining-ish. But the highlight of my reading times was last night when I got to chat with my nieces and hear each of them read me a book, followed by me reading them a book. Seriously... It was so special! 

 

What am I listening to?

I've been listening to Micah Tyler's song, Even Then, a lot lately. In fact, I wrote about it on here yesterday. You can read it HERE if you missed it.

What am I wearing?

Let's be honest... I'm wearing PJ's as much as possible. After all, it's still Spring Break, y'all! :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

We're only on Week One of our two week Spring Break, so I'm planning to be sleeping late, reading (for fun), and working on grad school assignments. I'll probably record a couple videos to have on hand to use if we end up having to do online school lessons after Spring Break.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Elementary Camp is at the end of next month. I've led it the past few years and have absolutely loved it. It's a lot of work, sure. But it's worth it, for sure. I can't wait! Past that, I'm just looking forward to life getting back to normal :)

What else is new?

People all over the world are streaming their church services, watching online in various formats. I love that even though this way of attending church is new to most, it's still happening. Pray for your churches/congregations, your pastors, and your missionaries y'all. They need the support now more than ever!

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?